Episode
NSW Government Spends Hundreds of Thousands on Defending Protest Laws | Melbourne News
- Published
- Jul 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 131
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- https://sources.thednn.ai/5805f3c1e77d3e70
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Summary
New South Wales government and police are paying a steep price for defending controversial anti-protest laws—over $300,000 total—after courts struck them down as unconstitutional, ruling they violated political speech rights. The latest case, costing more than $117,000, involved laws enacted after a major attack and used during a February protest against the Israeli president. This isn’t the first blow: just six months prior, another government law expanding police powers near places of worship was also overturned, costing nearly $96,000. Internal Labor party debates had already raised concerns about legal viability. Activists call it a waste of taxpayer money and evidence of a crackdown on democratic expression, while the government insists it was necessary for public safety during a foreign leader’s visit. Some legal wins remain, like a case over major events declarations that cost $27,000, but protesters are still pursuing appeals to drop charges. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/5805f3c1e77d3e70